2007 TSUN News

[NFBuck]

I have never in all my years seen a S & C coach get so much hype. I mean, it's not like WVU guys are showing up at combines and workouts and setting the world on fire.

Not to mention if you watched the last 2 USF games, WVU appeared to run out of gas late in the game. Like has been mentioned, I think the excitement is more about moving into the modern age of S&C. They aren't use to that, so they seem to think this guy is gonna somehow make them this unstoppable machine when in reality, they're just catching up to everyone else.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Not to mention if you watched the last 2 USF games, WVU appeared to run out of gas late in the game. Like has been mentioned, I think the excitement is more about moving into the modern age of S&C. They aren't use to that, so they seem to think this guy is gonna somehow make them this unstoppable machine when in reality, they're just catching up to everyone else.

I still think their S&C "deficiencies" under the old regime have been greatly exaggerated. Maybe they weren't the best conditioned team in the country year in and year out but that wasn't the source of their problems.

 

[HailToMichigan]

FYFFY

Quick history lesson: Crisler didn't steal it from Princeton, he invented it himself while coaching there. When he left Princeton for Michigan, he took it with him, Princeton stopped using it, and the rest is history.

The winged helmet is no more the "Princeton helmet" than Script Ohio is "Michigan's formation", despite the fact that the Michigan marching band is documented to have been the first to form it.

 

[jwinslow]

If Kevin Newsome bolts, Michigan has a contingency plan | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

...

While Beaver has stood firm with his commitment since making the pledge to Michigan, there has been concern over the strength of Newsome?s commitment because of his unwillingness to discuss his recruitment in the last two months.

Virginia Tech, Penn State and others continue to recruit Newsome, though his transfer to Hargrave Military Academy this fall should benefit Michigan because Hargrave head coach Robert Prunty is big on his players sticking to their word.

Michigan is prepared for the contingency of Newsome not sticking with his pledge, however. Four-star quarterback Tate Forcier (6-1, 195) of San Diego, Calif., the brother of former Michigan quarterback Jason Forcier, camped at Michigan in June. His father said last week that the family loves Rodriguez and is comfortable knowing that he will be there for the duration of Forcier?s collegiate career.

Michigan has also stayed in contact with Miramar, Fla., quarterback Eugene Smith (6-3, 182) who is ranked as the No. 6 dual threat quarterback in the country by Rivals.com. Smith was selected to the prestigious Elite 11 Quarterback Camp to be held later this summer in California and has said he expects to take one of his five NCAA-allotted official visits to Ann Arbor.

...cont'd

This has infuriated quite a number of UM posters... despite the fact that their fanbase has countless threads with these observations and take comfort in the idea of Tate being a fallback option (or more?) if the rumblings do come true. A bit inconsistent.

 

[HailToMichigan]

I still think their S&C "deficiencies" under the old regime have been greatly exaggerated. Maybe they weren't the best conditioned team in the country year in and year out but that wasn't the source of their problems.

Either Michigan's S&C was not that bad before and Barwis really is an elite monster of an S&C coach, or it really was truly that awful before and (as has been claimed around here) Barwis is just bringing us up to speed with the rest of college football.

But it can't be "none of the above." Because if you can find an S&C coach who will boost your bench press from 315 to 475 in just six months (link), then more power to you.

 

[ScriptOhio]

If Kevin Newsome bolts, Michigan has a contingency plan | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

You know Michigan commit Shavadick Beaver has to have one of the greatest names ever.

From article (above): While Beaver has stood firm with his commitment since making the pledge to Michigan...

And we all know there's nothing better than a "firm beaver".

 

[OregonBuckeye]

But it can't be "none of the above." Because if you can find an S&C coach who will boost your bench press from 315 to 475 in just six months (link), then more power to you.

Found one:

:tongue2:

But seriously, give me a break. That's great and all but you give me one example of a big improvement in one lift(and an unimportant one at that for football) and expect me to be a believer? I'm sure there are countless examples of players improving their bench presses under whoever your previous S&C coach was.

Here's what I think:

-Barwis is a good S&C coach. He's good at motivating his players.
-He isn't the savior and he's far from being the only S&C coach in the country to do what he does. You guys aren't going to run circles around the Big-10 like every national pundit is assuming.
-Predictable coaching and poor recruiting(especially when it came to DB's) were far more responsible for some of the mediocre seasons you guys endured, not being out of shape. I saw some of those Rose Bowls against USC and I just thought they were flat out better(and playing in Cali played a big part too). I never thought they were in another league athletically.
-Oh, and Lichter would kick his ass.

 

[jwinslow]

Fundamentals like tackling, pursuit angles, discipline and other breakdowns were much more costly than S&C problems. That was Oreg's point.

But it can't be "none of the above." Because if you can find an S&C coach who will boost your bench press from 315 to 475 in just six months (link), then more power to you.

I'd be curious about Graham's end of things under those two S&C coaches. THAT was the more substantial problem in recent years.

 

[HailToMichigan]

Found one:

But seriously, give me a break. That's great and all but you give me one example of a big improvement in one lift(and an unimportant one at that for football) and expect me to be a believer? I'm sure there are countless examples of players improving their bench presses under whoever your previous S&C coach was.

Here's what I think:

-Barwis is a good S&C coach. He's good at motivating his players.
-He isn't the savior and he's far from being the only S&C coach in the country to do what he does. You guys aren't going to run circles around the Big-10 like every national pundit is assuming.
-Predictable coaching and poor recruiting(especially when it came to DB's) were far more responsible for some of the mediocre seasons you guys endured, not being out of shape. I saw some of those Rose Bowls against USC and I just thought they were flat out better(and playing in Cali played a big part too). I never thought they were in another league athletically.
-Oh, and Lichter would kick his ass.

I'm not gonna spend the necessary time running around the 'net trying to find every example I've ever seen. But guys have been dropping weight, dropping 40 times, boosting their lifts.....all kinds of stuff, and many of these reports are months old, when Barwis had only been around for two, three months. If you like I'll PM you one whenever I run across it, but I'm not gonna be fussed to search. Take my word for it.

Gittlesford was the old S&C coach. Then again, he'd also been there for literally decades. Just to drive home the point, and keeping in mind the occasional inaccuracy in recruiting rankings: the player in question in the link is Brandon Graham. When Barwis got him, he was 287 pounds and benched 315. As a recruit two years ago, Rivals lists him at 250 pounds.....and could bench 385. Now he does 475.

DBB (I think) nailed it in an earlier post somewhere: Before, we had a pretty damn good team, and a stone age S&C program. So imagine the improvement after a couple years of an actual good S&C program.

 

[HailToMichigan]

I'd be curious about Graham's end of things under those two S&C coaches. THAT was the more substantial problem in recent years.

So what's wrong about us being excited about a coach that can motivate the guy to lift replacing a guy that couldn't?

And besides, all that other stuff you listed, that's coaching too. Not to bash Lloyd Carr. Ever. But if the new regime fixes that stuff, then maybe our defense won't be something for you guys to laugh about after all.

 

[jwinslow]

So what's wrong about us being excited about a coach that can motivate the guy to lift replacing a guy that couldn't?

excited? Nothing. But we both know a huge contingent have jumped way off the deep-end when it comes to expectations regarding RR & Barwis' unstoppable combination when given UM's platform.

It may come true, but I dare say you'd find it a bit humorous if ND hired a S&C coach and their fans sounded like yours.

I think the massive hyperbole makes it difficult to dwell on the subject of Barwis from the outside. So many go so overboard that it's hard to do anything but chuckle, let alone evaluate the obvious improvements and reflect on them.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

So imagine the improvement after a couple years of an actual good S&C program.

I think it will be minimal because like I said, I don't think you S&C was ever that bad. A lot of you seem to think it prevented you from going on a string of NC wins and I don't buy that for a second.

 

[osugrad21]

So what's wrong about us being excited about a coach that can motivate the guy to lift replacing a guy that couldn't?

And besides, all that other stuff you listed, that's coaching too. Not to bash Lloyd Carr. Ever. But if the new regime fixes that stuff, then maybe our defense won't be something for you guys to laugh about after all.

You should be excited.

I saw Barwis in action...it is impressive. I saw a 300 lb. lineman do shoulder raises while standing on the large exercise ball...then I saw him raise one foot to give a visual of his balance and core strength. Barwis is full of energy...talks a mile a minute with wild gestures and makes every slight movement seem like a Guinness record. It was a great presentation.

However, I did see some inaccuracies...I did see kids lifting alone quietly away from the team, I did see groups of players walking at practice, I did see players that I was not physically impressed with...starters.

Anyway...you should be excited though. I think he brings something worthwhile even if it is simply fresh air.

However, this is BuckeyePlanet...so what is wrong with us bashing every/any-thing TSUN related?

 

[NFBuck]

DBB (I think) nailed it in an earlier post somewhere: Before, we had a pretty damn good team, and a stone age S&C program. So imagine the improvement after a couple years of an actual good S&C program.

Some improvement? Sure. Drastic improvement? I think that's fans grasping for a reason for the recent failures. It went waaaaay deeper than strength and conditioning. If Barwis had some space age conditioning program that caused tacklers to literally bounce off of scUM players, or could teach defenders "the force", I'd be concerned. But he doesn't. He's bringing them up to speed with most of the rest of the CFB world.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I think it will be minimal because like I said, I don't think you S&C was ever that bad. A lot of you seem to think it prevented you from going on a string of NC wins and I don't buy that for a second.

Agreed.

Morgan Trent could work out with Barwis for the rest of his natural life, he'd still be Morgan Trent.

Talent matters.